Dear Abby for August 24, 2026
The August 24, 2026, installment of the Dear Abby column, distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication, addresses two letters from readers seeking advice on family and relationship conflicts.
Family Financial Dispute
The first letter, published by The Dallas Morning News, Mechanicsburg Patriot News, and Charleston Post and Courier, comes from a reader identified as "Desperate Mom." She writes that her middle-aged son, who is on the autism spectrum, has recently moved back home after living independently since age 19. The son, who works in food service earning a low wage, has agreed to contribute to bills and groceries, but his father insists on splitting all expenses three ways equally.
Desperate Mom, who is retired and living on a small Social Security check, notes that her husband earns more than twice the combined income of her and her son. She proposes that she and her son each contribute 20% toward food and other bills, but her husband accuses her of taking advantage of him whenever she raises the topic.
Abby's response, as carried in all four outlets, suggests that the mother consider whether her husband shares her desire for their son to stay long-term, and whether his stance on money might be an attempt to push the son out. Abby notes that "on the autism spectrum" covers a wide range of needs and recommends consulting a licensed family counselor who specializes in autism to help the couple understand what their son can reasonably contribute.
Gaming Habit Strains Relationship
The second letter, from "Game Over in North Carolina," describes a five-year relationship with her fiancé, "Dustin." The couple lives together and is "fairly happy," but Dustin's gaming has escalated since they moved in. He plays from the time he wakes up around 1 p.m. until he leaves for work around 10 p.m., and often stays up gaming until 5 a.m. He does not help with cleaning or cooking, and his fiancée says she gets none of his attention. She has raised the issue, but Dustin does not see a problem because he grew up playing games constantly.
Abby's advice, published across all outlets, is direct: Dustin has a "pretty good deal," because his fiancée handles the household chores and contributes to half the expenses but receives no companionship. Abby urges her to tell Dustin what she needs, offer couples counseling, and if he is unwilling to change, "cut your losses and move out" to avoid becoming a "gaming widow."
The New York Post and Mechanicsburg Patriot News led their coverage with the gaming letter, while The Dallas Morning News and Charleston Post and Courier placed the family letter first. The headline in The Dallas Morning News focused on the financial dispute ("Dear Abby: Dad Asks a Lot of Low-Income Live-at-Home Son"), while the New York Post and Mechanicsburg Patriot News highlighted the gaming issue in their headlines.
Column Background
As noted in the credit lines accompanying the column, Dear Abby was founded in 1956 by Pauline Phillips and is currently written by Abigail Van Buren, with Jeanne Phillips having penned the column for nearly four decades. Readers can contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or by mail at the provided addresses.
All four outlets included the syndication copyright notice, indicating that the features provided by Andrews McMeel Syndication are copyrighted material.